Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) — Baked or Fried
Greek meatballs (known as Keftedes in Greece) are bite-sized portions of deliciousness. They are juicy, loaded with fresh Mediterranean herbs and spices offering plenty of flavor that will transport your tastebuds straight to Greece! We’ve got two easy cooking methods covered (pan-fried or oven-baked) and no matter how you cook them, they’re always great served as a meze plate alongside some tangy tzatziki dip and lots of fresh oven-baked pita bread.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large fry pan or skillet (if using stovetop method)
- Cooking tongs (if using stovetop method)
- Kitchen towel
- Baking tray (if oven-baking your meatballs)
- Parchment paper (if oven-baking)
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 17.5 oz 500 g beef and pork mince mix
- ½ red onion diced fine
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 6 large mint leaves finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon of ground fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For serving (optional)
- Pita bread
- Tzatziki check out our easy-to-make Creamy Greek Tzatziki recipe
- Classic Greek garden salad with feta cheese
Instructions
- Add all meatball ingredients (except half of the breadcrumbs) to a large bowl. Use your hands to mix ingredients until combined. Add the remaining breadcrumbs as required to get the desired texture. The meatball mixture should stay clumped together when squeezed.17.5 oz 500 g beef and pork mince mix, ½ red onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg, ¼ cup fresh parsley, 6 large mint leaves, ½ teaspoon of ground fennel seeds, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, Salt and black pepper
- Cover the meatball mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour (Note: this step is optional but it does help the balls stay together when cooking).
- Remove the mixture from the fridge and use your hands to gently squeeze and roll out balls in the palm of your hands (see video). It should make around 20-25 meatballs that are a round golf ball size or slightly smaller.
- Oven-baked method: Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Add a layer of parchment paper to a baking tray. Lightly oil the paper and add the meatballs, spacing them around an inch/2.5 cm apart. Bake for around 10 minutes, turn meatballs, and bake for another 10 minutes or until browned.
- Stovetop method: Heat most of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (medium if you have a strong gas stove). Use enough oil to cover the surface of the skillet. Cook the meatballs in batches, gently rolling them around the pan as they cook so they brown evenly on all sides (around 5 minutes total). Once done, transfer to some kitchen towel on a plate to help drain off any excess oil.
- Serve as a tasty meze platter with pita bread and tzatziki.Pita bread, Tzatziki, Classic Greek garden salad with feta cheese
Video
Notes
Cooking Notes
- Once cooked, store the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge. They will last up to 3 days when refrigerated, or up to 3 months when frozen.
- Meatballs can be enjoyed hot or cold. Reheat meatballs in the oven for around 8 minutes at 180°C/356°F.
- Meatballs can also be reheated in a microwave. Heat a batch of 4 balls for 45 seconds to 1 minute on a high setting.